Grilled Pizza: 5 Pies to Put on the Grates

It’s almost summertime, so you know what that means. Two words: grilling season. Some look forward to summer’s longer days, warmer temperatures, and fresher produce; others adore the season only because it means they can put anything and everything on their grill grates, and if that somebody is you, then you’ve come to the right place.

All you need to make grilled pizza is some store-bought or homemade dough, some olive oil, and of course, your toppings of choice. The varieties of pizza you can make on the grates are truly countless, so we’ve rounded up five to get you started. Happy grilling!

1. Classic Grilled Margherita Pizza

We can’t start this list any other way than detailing how you can master the perfect Margherita pizza on the grill. Luckily, we have a recipe from Food Networkto help. Like we said before, as long as you have a capable grill, grilled pizza is a cinch to master, and it takes hardly any time at all. This recipe details how you can make homemade dough, as well, but if you’re feeling lazy one night, feel free to take a shortcut and buy your own store-bought dough.

Ingredients:

6 ounces pizza dough

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/2 cup loosely packed shredded fontina

2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano

6 tablespoons chopped canned tomatoes, in heavy puree

8 basil leaves

Pizza dough

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

6 cups high-gluten flour

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

extra-virgin olive oil

Directions: Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals. On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10- to 12-inch free-form circle, 1/8-inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness.

When the fire is hot (when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches), use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the Two corners closest to you and drape onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and slide the remaining dough into place over the fire. Within a minute, the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear. Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over onto the coolest part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with olive oil. Scatter the garlic and cheeses over the dough and spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese. Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Slide the pizza back toward the hot coals, but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizza frequently so that different sections receive high heat; check the underside often to see that it is not burning. The pizza is done when the top is bubbly and the cheese melted, about 6-8 minutes. Serve at once, topped with the basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.

To make pizza dough: Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit) water and allow it to dissolve and activate, about 5 minutes. Combine the flour and salt and mound it onto a cool work surface, creating a high, walled well in the center. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 1/2 cups of cool water and pour into the well. Slowly begin to mix the water and flour, a little at a time, moving your fingers in short, counter-clockwise circles around the border of the water. When the dough is firm enough to hold its shape, scrape the remaining flour over it and knead until the mass is smooth and shiny, approximately 7 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead once more. Let the dough rise again for about 40 minutes, punch down again, and form dough into four balls.